Women in Management (WIM) recognizes trailblazers Sri Lankan origin Canadian women.
This was partnered by Platinum Sponsor Cinnamon Life (member of John Keells Group), Gold Sponsor International Trade Center (IORA), Silver Sponsors, Jetwing Travel and Hotels and Singer Sri Lanka.
The Chief Guest of the above event, the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka to Canada His Excellency Ahmed A Jawad said, “The last 50 years has seen in increasing measure the gradual and steady emergence, of women in every major sphere of human endeavor in a manner not witnessed before in. human history. In Sri Lanka the emergence of women to the forefront has been extraordinary.
Sri Lanka has been best known for producing the world's first women 'Prime Minister and followed many years later by the election of first woman Executive President of the country in 1994. It is laudable that Women in Management Award 2018 seek to recognize the services of Canadian women of Sri Lankan origin who have excelled in business and in the professions. It is also significant that WIM has decided on Canada for today's event since this country reputedly has the largest Sri Lankan expatriate population abroad.”
“I must acknowledge that the Canadian edition was a challenging task to judge. The logic being that the panel had to understand the context of the Canadian market in the final selection of winners. Fortunately, the diverse backgrounds of the judging panel with the strong ground understanding of the WIM representative in Canada, Rienzie Martinesz,” said Dr. Rohantha Athukorala Chairman Panel of Judges.
"This award is not just a personal achievement, it’s for the nation. It’s for our future generations. These awardees have achieved so much of success where they must have faced more obstacles than us who are living in Sri Lanka. Reading through their applications I felt they have really worked hard to be who they are and to make themselves and our motherland proud. WIM objective is to connect them back with Sri Lanka and share their journey and learning with us,” said Dr. Sulochana Segera, the Founder of Women in Management.
The WIM Representative in Canada Rienzie Martinesz said, “Today, 20th of January 2018 will go down in the history books because we Sri Lankan Canadians are taking a giant step forward by formerly recognizing and awarding 37 Sri Lankan origin women who have excelled in their professions and businesses in Canada. I see this as a humble beginning of a solid journey and it is very satisfying for me to be a part of this. This Award program is a springboard in building relationships and creating networking possibilities between Sri Lankan origin women in Canada and members of WIM Sri Lanka with the intention of supporting one another and building successful business. I would like to see the WIM Award winners to take a lead in this direction. I am glad to be a part of WIM as its Representative in Canada to see this become a reality”.
Woman of the year Award went to Dr. Priyanwada Charukeshi Chandrasekera, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods, Career Role Model of the Year Damindra Dias Career Coach & Mentor, Progress Career Planning Institute (Former Corporate Leader at Kellogg Company and the Coca-Cola Company in Canada, USA, Germany and South Asia), Inspirational Woman of the Year, Nalayinie Maheswaran, CEO/President, Hope Cottage ltd, Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur, Devika Anthony, Owner & Operation Barrister & Solicitor, Anthony & Associates Professional Corporation, Shannen Jainudeen was awarded as the Young Woman Achiever of the Year Soccer Player in the Canada who made it to under 17 Canada national team.
For the Career Gold Awards, Finance Category award was won by Primali Demel, Senior Strategist, Financial Performance Management at a leading Financial Group Roshni Wijayasinha, CEO & Lead Consultant of Prosh Marketing won the Marketing & Advertising Award, Information Technology Award was won by Ranjikam Manamperi, Director Corporate Risk & Information Security Officer, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, Principal Lawyer-Sole Proprietor of MVD Law Professional Corporation Meleni David won the award in Legal category , the State & Government Sector Award went to Dr Uppala Chandrasekera Director/Public Policy/Vice Chair Canadian Mental Health Association.
Anne Marie Mediwake, News Presenter & Formerly News Anchor of Global, CBC News won the Media & Communication Award, Hospitality & Services Award was won by Dorothy Constance Owner/Proprietor Falcon & Ferkins Restaurant, Dr. Dushanthi Pinnaduwage Founder Stat Sense Consulting won the Medical Category Award, Education category was won by Prof. Dileeni Weerasinghe School of Business, University of Guelph-Humber ON & Humber College ON and Immigration category was won by Sharmila Perera President Ann Arbour Consultants Inc.
Upcoming Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Gold Awards went to Divya Lakshmi Jegasundaram Owner & Founder of Coach Life Play Life Symbiosis Coaching, Roshanthie Peiris, Owner, CR Hoppers respectively and Chandrani Perera at M & M Twins Limited won the Best Woman Importer from Sri Lanka Award.
Merit Awardees of the night was Shanikah Fernnado, Founder & Operator Custom Cakes by Shanikah, Praveeni Perera Business Analyst Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada, Genevieve Brown, Persona; Assistant to Vice President, Patient Services & Chief Nursing Executive Scarborough Grace Hospital, Sumana Wijeratna Chief Executive Officer, Vanlanka Community Foundation, Upuli Irosha Balasuriya Manager, Finance & Operations Howard Noble Insurance Ltd, Ericka Kodituwakku Mortgage Agent, Mortgage Alliance, Laura Lathika Abeysekera, Founder & Owner Lauras Creative Cakes, Dilrukshi Seneviratne Tea Commodities & Product Development Manager Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc, Shamila De Almeida, Director/Pastry Chef La Sem Patisserie, Maryam Nizar, Senior Vice President, CITCO Canada Inc, Nirmalie De Mel, Financial Analyst, Northland Power Inc, Surupee Perera, Realtor, Royal Lepage United Realty Inc, Sharon Anne Gabriel, Project Manager – Strategic Portfolio Office, Scotia Bank, Dr. Carmini Ramya Fernando/ owner, Fernando Dentistry Professional Corporation, Shavone Lazarus, HR Business Partner, Worker Safety & Insurance Board, Indica Jainudeen, Citizen Service Specialist, Government of Canada and Druscilla Kodituwakku, Director, Serendib Income Tax Services.
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